Combined card ledger and index



(No Modeh) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

J. A. LANGSTROTH. COMBINED CARD LEDGER AND INDEX.

.No. 475,043. Patented May 17, 1892.

J. A. LANGSTROTH; COMBINED CARD LBDGER AND INDEX.

Patented May 17, 1892.

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 3.

J. A. LANGSTROTH. COMBINED CARD LBDGER AND INDEX.

No.'475,04s. Patented May 17, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

A JOHNA. LArics'rRoTn, or SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

COMBIN so CARD, LEDTGE-R AN IN o-Ex.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 475,043, dated May 17, 1892.

-Application filed February 20, 1891. Serial No. 882248; (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, J om: A. LANGSTROTH, a.

citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Franciscmstate of California, have invented an Improvement in counts on a series-of'separate and independent cards in perfect alphabetical-order with guide-cards of the same size interposed between them in such a manner that they serve as index-cards, and also adjustable supporting-partitions. It consists in certain detailsof construction which will be more fully explained by'refcrence to the accompanying drawings, in

. which Figure l is a perspective viewshowing the account-cards supported in a. containing-box, means foradjustiug the supporting-partitions,-&c.---- Fig. 2 is a transverse section'taken through the box, showing the sides spread, the movable indicator,aud its operative-mechanism. Fig. 3 is anedge view showing the construction of the supporting-partitions with the flexible top. Figs. 4 and 5 are modifications of the manner of securing and adjusting the partitions at different points within the box. Fig. (3 shows the arrangement of the account and guide cards and index. Fig. 7 is a tray used in conjunction with the independent accounts. f

My invention is d csigned to provide a simple and expeditious means for keeping accounts and indexing them, so that they can be rapidly found and examined, and closed accounts may be removed and new accounts continually inserted, at the same time retainiug'the proper alphabetical arrangement of these accounts, while saving all the time and labor usually expended upon the keeping of an index. Where the ordinary ledger is employed with a large number of accounts, these accounts are written into the ledger from time to time, as they oecur and an alphabetical index (upon which all account-names, as well as-ledgcr and folio, have to be entered) is neccssary in connection with said ledger. Much time is lost in examiningthe index to find the accounts and in turning over pages of the ledgers for any work that is necessary to be 5 done upon'the open accounts, by'reason of the ever-increasing n' nmberot closed accounts.

My invention. is designed to save the labor, of indexing, the time and labor of handling orinspecting closed accounts, much of the 6c time and labor spent inopeningnew or transfer lodgers for old accounts, and the time usu-- ally spent in referring to an index by the or,-

dinarymethods.

A is a box, which may be made ofany'suitable and convenient size and length to contain as many cards as are required for the different accounts to be kept; .or, if the business is large, a number of these boxes may be employed. p

The cards 43, upon which the accounts are kept, can be made of heavy paper or bristolboard, or any material possessing the essential features of these, together with the qualtties ofdurability, flexibility, and thinness. At the top 'of each of the cards are written the surname and christian name of the p rson whose account is kept uponthat card.

For convenience in handling the cards and exposing what I term the guide-cards G,all' the cards, except the guideeards, have a. corresponding portion cut awayat so ne'suita'ble point, so that the guide-cards, which are not cut away, will be exposed within these spaces, where the means or other indicative marks which are employed upon the guide-cards can be readilyseen at a glance from the front of the box. The upper sides of the cards B may be cut away in various styles, either at the corners or at some one or more points along the top, or preferably at or near a single point in the center, as shown in Fig. 1. If. cut away at any other point than the-center, it will be manifest that the card must be cut equidistant from the center upon each side to '95 allow the card.to be reversed in the box and both sides used. For this reason I consider that the central cut, as I have shown it, is

best for all practical purposes. The guide:

cards C are of the same size as the cards B, too so that they do not protrude beyond them, and they are only exposed at the pointwhere the cut-away portion of the cards B leaves them projecting across the space thuswhere the names or guide-symbols will appear, so that there'are no projecting edges to become curled or mutilated, as would be the case if the guide-cards projectedabove the other cards. Thesurname-may be written upon one side of this cut or opening and the christian name upon the othe and where there is a large number of'the same surname 4 ciently for'wthis purpose. In orderto properly support these cards, I employ rigid adjustable partitions D, which preferablyiextend up wardly from the-bottom-of the x to a point above the middle of its depthf leaving the cards projecting above the edges of these rigid partitions. These partitions are introduced at such points as to support a certain number or section of the-account-cards and prevent their leaning over against the adja-. cent sections, and this arrangement allows any section or portion of a section to be removed without in any way interfering with any other section or allowing the remaining cards to lean over at too great an angle. It will-be manifest \that these rigid partitions may extend up to some point near enough to the top of. the cards to allow the latter to be bent sufliciently over the upperedges of the partitionsto be .easily inspected at any time; but I have found that a suitable method of constructing these partitions is to make the lower half or more rigid and of sufficient thickness, so that the partition may be flied in place wherever desired, while the upper portion ismade thinner and of some flexible material, as shown in Fig. 3, and tapered toward the top, so that the upper portion will have approximately the same flexibility as the account cards, and the upper edge of the partitionbeing ot' the same height with the upper edge of the cards givesthe whole a symmetrical appearance fromthe top. In running over the cards the tops of the partitions may be bent to one side, as shown in the drawings, in the same manueras the cards, but when released will rise to the vertical position again, their elasticity being sufficient to overcome 'the slight lateral pressure of the tops of the account-cards which may be caused 'by the latter being placed somewhat loosely between the partitions, and not all standing obsolutelyperpendicular. The upperportion D'-of the partitions D maybe made of thin flexible rubber, stencil-board, or other material suitable forthe purpose. -As the number of accounts in any section increases or diminishes, it will be manifestly necessary to change the position of these partitions occasionally, and for this purpose they are locked in any convenient or suitable manner within the case, so as to be readily unlocked and shifted.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, each partition D has a lug E at. opposite sides, and these lugs fit into corresponding grooves or slots F, made in the sides of the box. In ihebottom of the box are made holes or grooves G, in the same vertical plane with the grooves orchan' nels F, and pins 11, projecting from the bottom of the partitions, enter these holes, so that by means of the pinsE and II the partitions are firmly held in their vertical position. The grooves or openings FG are made as near together as may be desired along the sides of the box, so that the partitions can be'inoved to any suitable or convenient distance fron each other, as required. These partitions may be moved .in various ways. If. desired, the grooves or slots F may be continued to the top of the box, and the partitions are simply slipped out or in from thetop at will, or the upper portion of the box could be made wide enough to admit them; but in order to leave the upper portion of the box sides smooth and to prevent the cards-from catching or being mutilated, as wouldbe likely i: be the case if these channels or grooves or any portion of them were left exposed at the upper end of the-box, and to prevent acci dental displacement .of, the partitions,- I prefer to make them in theforni of short curved depressions just opposite the pins E, and the partitions may be locked in place either as shown in Fig. 1 or Fig. 5.

In Fig. 1 I have shown the upper sides A of the box A as hinged to the lower portion, r

so that they may open outwardly, and when these sides are thus opened outwardly the up per edges of the'groovcs or channels Fare exposed and-opened, so that the partitions D may be easily lifted out and moved along to any other point and againintroduced. \Vhen the sides A are closed up, it will be seen that the lower edges projecting above the oponings F and the lugs E of the partitions serve to lock the latter in place and prevent their being accidentally removed.

It will be manifest that various other methods maybe adopted without essentially altering the character and effect of the partitions. In Fig. 5 the upper portion of thebox sides are thinner than the lowerpartmndthe locking lugs tit into depressions in this lower por-' tion. They are held in place by false pieces sliding within the upper part of the sides and just completing the thickness to correspond with the lower part and make a smooth inner surface. V

'In Fig. 4 I have shown a light compressibis spring E, fixed within the edfiesof the partitions D, the upper part ifsg fe spring removed and when it-is replaced in either otthe openings, the spring will remain coup curving outwardly, sothat it will drop into the gmovesorehanhels'F in the sides otthc box. I 4

If it is desired to take thepartition out, itmay be lifted and the spring will be forced intoithe depression in the side of. the parti-v tion, so as to allow it to slip'u'palongtlre upper sides of the bQL W'henthe partition 18 pressed while the partition is'being pushed down into place, but will fly out as soon as opposite one of the openings or outwardly and the partitions can be put in perfectly straight.

If desired, the channels o ropenings F and G may be correspondingly fumbe'red',so' thati .no mistake will occu r'in sett ingthe partitions;

' I am onabledto keep any numberof accounts,

- 'lhc upper'sides' of the no.5: may .be'closed.

automatically in various ways, ;either by .sp'ri ngs ,orby'weights. In Fig. 2 [have shown a weight I, fixed upon the end oflan arm J, which is .secured'to one of the sides A. The weight projects into a chambermade in the. end of a box, so that it in nowise interferes with the cards-which areinthe box, the chamber being'ot sufficien'tsizeto allowthe weight to swing within it; Whon the side Afis turned;

when the Side is released the weight, falling down toward the verticalposition, will draw the side-up into itsfplaco'againl When an account -isto beremo'ved, I employ a simple marker or'tinger K, to indicate the placcfroin which theaccount' was removed.

This marker may be ti t-ted to slide-uporia rod; but Lhave found it convenient tojfit it upon the upper edge ofone-of thesides A", with a tongue or other means for keeping it in place, while allowing it to slide readily from end to end ot-the box. If it be desired to remove anaccount-card for any purpose, this marker is j moved along the edge of time box, the latter being drawn-outward fromthe'cdgo of the cards, asshown in Fig.'1,and when the marker is opposite the space from which the card is removed the side is allowed to closeup, thus forcing the point of the marker between the cards, where it will remain untiLthe account is ready to be replaced. lly this arrangement whether large or small, constantly in their alphabetical order, and the accounts themselves, in connection with the guide=cards, serve as their own index. It will bemanifcst that in certain contingencies where a sepa-' rate index is ofv value smaller cards may be placed in a series of drawers in a cabinet and used as an index alone, guide-cards C bein; uscd-as'previously described; but-no partitions will be necessary, the small cards here required being su ilicientl y supported without written in the top,- the bodyof the card, or successive number of them, will contain all" y the christian names of the individuals of that inspection;

tapered down from the sides -.of the tray box in convenient table by the side of then write upon or the partitions. These cardsrare so arranged thatwhile each card'will have the surname surname. These cards ,do' notineed to be reversible, and in that ,case the cut need not be located in the center. In a case of this kind the cards can be placed'somewhat loosely in the drawer, so that theyaro easily opened for The corners of the cards are preferably rounded to prevent their curling at these points:

In connection with the account-cards I use a tray L. This tray is'made with sides tapered down near one end, and this end is also tapered down from the center to the sides, so that at the corners this end of the'tray is very shallow,.a'nd when a parcel ot cards or accounts are placed one by one in the tray thy'can be easily made even bydra-wing each-against the side and end ot the boxwhile placing it there. The opposite 'e'ndof -.the'- tray is cut away or toward the corn ter, andthe'bottom' is cut awa'ynt thispo'int to facilitate the lifting ofthe cards out of the tray. The tray is preterably supported at an angle, resting-npona block which supportsit from beneath; fitrips extend along the bottom to pievent it-sljpping oiithobl'ock. of using a block arms imight ,be

I H gh-inged to thol bottom'-of'the tray :ori its'supoutward, the' weight I; will beth'rown correwspondingly upward within the chamber, and' port upon dlilside b'rthe" other which arms might be folded when thetray is not in use.- W h e'n it iii-desired to run through the -ac-- counts, they are taken from the containing the tray, and beveled so as to be easily'rcmoved, andtheopera'for can ward turning it over, fa'ce' down, into-the tray,

in contact with the lower end andside of the tr'ay. When all the cards'are thus turned into the tray,'the whole parcel will be found perfectly symmetrical withou t-any'projecting edges- I Sonic device of this nature is absolutely necessary to the convenient and safe handling of the cards when out of the box, since, it turned rapidly one by one table or desk, they would be continually slid ing ofif one another or, even off the desk upon the floor, By reason of the cut-awayspace in the bottom of the tray at the opposite end it will be easy for the operator to seize the parcel ofcards by the top and return it to.tho box.

parcels, placed; upon the examineeach card, after rio upon an open Having thus described my invention, what I claim as'new,

P t and desire to secure by Letters sent, is.

1. An account-card-holding case consisting.

of the sides of the box above the side channels, whereby the partitions may be locked in place in either set of channels, substantially as herein described.

2. An acconnt-eard-holding case consisting of a rectangular box having channels in transverse planes in the'bottom and the lower por-.

. titions interspersed between them,a box, and

means whereby said partitions are locked at any point within the lower part of the box, hiiiged sides extending upwardly from this peint,and a means for closing said sides automatically against the edges of the cards or allowing, them to be opened outwardly therefrom, substantially as'herein described.

4. A ledger and index consisting of the account and guide cards arranged with relation to each other. as shown, partitions interspersed between the cards having the lower portion adapted to be fixed within the lower' portion of a containing box or case, and the upper portion made flexible to correspond with the cards, a containing boxor case having-the upper portion of the sides hinged, a finger or blade fitted to travel upon the upper edge or the box from end to end, so that it may be introduced between the cards at any point, and a weight or spring where ry the sides may be automatically closed, so as to hold the finger in position, substantially as ble extensions at the top, ledger and index cards fitting the case, with theirupper edges flush with the flexible tops of the partitions and movable therewith, central segmental slots made in the tops of the cards, intermediate guide-cards having their tops continuous and flush with the tops of the ledgercards, and distinguishing guiding-marks upon that portion which is exposed by the segmental slots of the ledger-cards, substantially as herein described.

7. In conjunction with an aecountcardholding ease having adjustable flexible partitions and intermediate cards with flush up-- per edges and centrally-disposed guidingmarks, a series of reversible combined ledger and index cards, each having an individual name and account upon it, and. segmental slots made in the center of the tops of these one of their edges, forming a continuous chan;

ncl when the cards are supported on edge iiithe containing-ease, transverse guideeardsinterspersed among the account-cards, having their upper edges continuous and crossing the channel, with distinguishing-marks upon the port-ion exposed within the channel,whereby the account-cards may be reversed without obscuring the marks upon the guide-' cards, substantially as herein described.

9. A combined ledger and index consisting of aseries of cards, each of which serves the double purpose ofaeeount and index card,and has a central segmental slot in the exposed margin, guide-cards interspersed between them, in conjunction with a containing-box, with transverse adjustable partitions having the lower end rigid and the upper end flexible, and means whereby said partitions can be readily locked in any desired position in the box, substantially as herein described. In witness win-wot l have hereunto set my land.

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